Artists starve because they don't market themselves. And even if a budding artist wanted to promote herself, Where to begin? What to do? Well, says Alyson Stanfield early on, break the spine of this book and start using it - start with a chapter that looks appealing, or deals with your biggest excuse for not advancing your art career. The book's organized around eight common excuses she's heard as an art business coach who's helped several thousand people get out of their studios and get down to the business of self-promotion. This is not about running a business. It's not about how to advertise. It's about defining success for yourself and making a plan that will get you there. It's about organizing your artists' life with routines, writing your artist's statement (this is a biggie), doing newsletters, getting a Web presence, writing a blog, polishing your image, getting out there and letting the world know you're here. Among other things, Ms. Stanfield's intent is to get you back into the studio so you can do what you want to do, which is art. This little book is an enormous tool box, full of detailed how-to's and rich with resources, including - other artist's websites and on-going support at her own website. Taken as a whole, this book is overwhelming - where do I start, what do I do first? Ms. Stanfield deals with "the overwhelm" by saying start with whatever fits best and do a few things at a time. Each chapter ends with a summary (a "no-excuse principle") and a gentle nudge (a "no-excuse action"). Beyond all that, the book's really accessible - the writing's clear and direct and personal and the book's design is gorgeous. It's a very friendly book. Ms. Stanfield wears many hats here - teacher, muse, occasional nag, coach, friend, facilitator - and she wears them well. Do yourself a big favor and buy this book. Better still, use it